Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Things I love about this place

Saturday May 3, 2013Charlottesville, Virginia

Last week-end Carrie was here and we went down to the Farmer’s Market, known in C’ville as the City Market, but didn’t stay long because of the Dogwood Parade. If you like small town parades and missed that post you can see it here.

But today I went to spend my morning there. Like Spudnuts, the market is something I always do when I’m in town so I have written about it before. I’ll spare you the ton of pictures I took and just put in a few.

Look at these amazing mushrooms a local guy grows on his farm. There were so many people around his table I could barely get even a picture of them.

I’m so lucky to have fresh strawberries in Florida in February and then come back to Virginia when they are ripe in May.

Maggie’s Pottery is in its place and as I walk up she is talking with another friend of mine Ellen so it is a great two for one visit. Lucky me! So good to catch up with both of them.

Maggie’s pottery is so colorful and unique. It just makes me, and everyone who has a piece of it, happy to look at it. Seems like it would make great mother’s day gifts. Everyone smiles when they see it. And BTW, she’ll ship it to you or your mother!

A ruffled serving dish. Now how cool is that?

I walk around and around looking at all the delicious food and vegetables and fruits and herbs. Here is part of what I bought. Basil, thyme and oregano. Some traveling herbs are looking a bit peaked so I’m going to put them in the ground and repot these to take along.

As I leave the market a balloon man is creating various animals for the kids gathered around.Charlottesville City Market really does have something for everyone.

A second favorite spot of mine in the historic area of Charlottesville is the downtown mall. I was there a bit early on this Saturday morning but I know it will be packed with folks enjoying themselves as the day goes on. Shopping, eating and chatting.

My last stop is a walk through Lee park. If you saw the post on the Dogwood Parade then you saw the statue. Today I’m interested in the flowers. The park is centrally located. From here you can find your way to the historic buildings, other parks and the elementary school turned Art Center which is part of the First Friday’s Art shows all year long.

The Historical Society has taken over the original Main Library Location in this really lovely brick building facing the park.

I’m so happy to see two of my very favorite spring plants, the tulips and the pansies. These bright beauties remind me of Maggie’s Pottery so colorful and alive.

It’s so relaxing to return to a place where you already know the things you really want to see and experience. Don’t get me wrong the thrill of the new and exploring and learning about where to go and what to see is wonderful too but I do wish someone would help me figure out how to find farmer’s markets every where I go.

Yes, our City Market is the place to see and be seen on Saturday mornings. I always end up eating my way through and never buying anything that makes it back to the car. Must learn more self-control . . .. Love the pictures in Lee Park. This is a beautiful spring in C'ville. I love this time of year!

what a beautiful morning you had.. .love, love, love the herbs. . . I went to the market in Columbus TX and came home with a whole plethora of herbs in a planter. . .glad to know someone else does the same.

Loved hearing about your home place and some of the things you love. The tulips and pansies are gorgeous, just starting up here as well. We have a wonderful farmers market in Grants Pass with lots of fresh produce and I love to go there when we are over at the cottage. The farmers market in Klamath Falls has a really short season and since it takes 40 minutes to get to town, I don't often get there on a saturday morning. The grants pass cottage is just 2 miles from downtown, and yet feels like it is in the country. best of both worlds. How far is your town from the farm?

Love the farmer's market!! Your flower photos are wonderful also:o)) Seems you are enjoying that new camera;o) I getting ready to redo my herbs as well. This was not the greatest winter in Florida for my herbs!!

We have a wonderful downtown farmers market that opened for the season last Saturday. We thoroughly enjoyed wandering through and mostly just watching people. The market is a tradition for us on Saturday morning. We are very fortunate that during the height of the growing season, we have a decent farmers market somewhere in Knoxville every day of the week except Sunday.

I would love to grow some herbs, but the kitties would probably like them too much.

Remember the old commercial "there's an app for that" Go to the App store on your phone, and do a search for farmers markets. I found quite a few apps, but only one with good reviews. When we lived in south GA, I found a site for u-pick farms which I still use. It seems there is an app for almost everything!

The delight of the familiar is good fuel for the traveling soul. People are so fun - would not see that big guy walking down the street and think "Oh, balloon-animal-maker!" Love the shot of the hats and scarves. Reminds me of a coworker who decorated her office at work with her shoes - she wore flip flops from home even in the winter :-). Guess I'll have to get used to not having the Farmers' Market year 'round - we are spoiled in SoCal.

What a lovely town -- it reminds me a lot of our hometown of Ashland, Oregon. Even though we're excited about continuing our travels, I still miss the things I love about Ashland (close friends, farmer's markets, great co-op, yoga classes…) and the ease of familiar routine. And sometimes I miss my pottery collection! We look for farmer's markets wherever we go -- I check the town's Chamber of Commerce website or just do a Google search. (Wonderful colors in your photos, Sherry -- it definitely looks like spring!)

My tulips are blooming this week too, and your herbs reminded me that I have to be on the lookout to buy my yearly basil plant. My parsley and thyme come back every year and when I was mulching the garden the other day I enjoyed the smell of the thyme when I brushed against the plant.

One of my favorite parts of this lifestyle are finding farmers' markets wherever we go. We love shopping local and giving back to the communities where we stop. Charlottesville looks like a lovely place to spend time.